Mission Accomplished!!!

I ran my first Marathon! 

It’s kind of like childbirth.  The pain is a distant memory and all I can remember is how completely awesome it was! My goal was to finish in under four and half hours. And, I actually did it!   Now, to put that in context – it took me double the time Brigid Kosgei of Kenya took to run the race.  She broke a new world record in Chicago this year finishing in 2:14:03. Crazy – right?! 

Crossing The Finish Line

Ahhh…the joy and relief of the finish line was indescribable!  The crowds in Chicago were insane!  Running with 45,000 other finishers for 42.2 kilometers of wall to wall spectators is about as close as I will ever come to feeling like a professional athlete. (I’ll be giving autographs at my press conference later LOL).  I felt SO much love and encouragement from the crowds! 

The Best and Worst Part

The most thrilling moment was seeing my cheerleaders (husband Andrew and friends Anna Ojansivu, Jackie Carlos and Colin Soule) on the route when I wasn’t expecting them.  It made SUCH a difference.  The biggest surprise was at the 35k mark.  I miraculously had enough juice in the tank to speed up.  The final 2k were my fastest of the entire race.  The hardest part was the dreaded anticipation and jitters leading up to the race. 

So, What did I Learn From The Biggest Physical Fitness Challenge of My Life?

Do you run? Or cycle? Or swim? Or Walk? Or do any form of exercise?  Have you ever considered setting a very ambitious goal for yourself?  Because my number one lesson on the road to Chicago and running my first marathon is this:

LESSON 1:  IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO TRY SOMETHING BIG

And it’s never too late to try something new.  I proved it to myself.   I ran my first marathon at age 58.  Why?  Because I really believe that when you tap into your heart and move your body, you have a better chance to live well and age better.  So don’t just survive, thrive!  I’m still on a high.   I hope my roller coaster journey may have inspired some of you to get out and move your bodies.  

Maybe some of you will even consider lacing up a pair of sneakers to run just like me (if your hips and knees allow you).  And if so, here’s some more weird and wacky final lessons I learned the hard way.   (If running isn’t your thing but eating is, no worries, I have you covered… just skip to the recipe link below for a delicious protein packed Red Lentil Soup recipe)

LESSON 2: CHANNEL YOUR INNER PEDICURIST

Keep those toe nails trim people!  Because long, jagged or ingrown nails are lethal weapons when those feet hit the pavement. Toe nail maintenance is key.  Enough said (aren’t you glad I didn’t bore you with bunion or osteoarthritis complaints or gross out stories about lost or black toe nails?) 

LESSON 3: LUBE YOUR BOOBS

Girls, guys, you both know what I’m talking about.  Lube your boobs, nipples, inner thighs, in between your toes – heck lube anything and anywhere you might experience chafing because a minor rub feels a lot like a sandpaper burn – made even worse when you take a post-run hot shower. Ouch!

LESSON 4: RUNNING & FABULOUS HAIR GO HAND IN HAND! 

Multi- tasking at its best! If you are short on time and don’t want to fork out mega bucks at the salon, this one is for you!   My Chicago Marathon running pal Tara O’Hagan swears the secret to a silky mane is the hair conditioning treatment she puts on her scalp before her long distance runs.  Yes! That’s right, she slathers it on, ties her hair up and forgets about it.  After an hour (or two of three) of deep penetration – hair perfection! Ok, I confess. I never tried this one. But I just love the idea of it and can’t wait to try it.

LESSON 5:  BAND AIDS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND

Never leave home without a band-aid.  And if you do, make sure you have money to buy some along the way.  I’ve had a bandage on the fourth toe of my right foot for almost 18 weeks.  No joke.  Not the same one of course. I’ve gone through umpteen boxes of every variety there is. On the handful of days that I forgot, I paid the price.  Blister! No fun. My only regret. I should have invested in band aid stocks months ago.  

LESSON 6: STRETCH, ROLL, ICE & SOAK

After every run stretch and roll. And, especially after long distance runs – put your feet up the wall and then have an Epsom salt bath.  It helps.  And if your feet still hurt, soak them in ice. It also helps.

LESSON 7: NUTRITION DO’S & DON’TS

DON’TS

Unless your objective is repeated visits to the toilet…don’t eat spicy food the day before a long run.  This is inadvisable for obvious reasons.  Also, artichokes are a bad idea (long story for another time).  Don’t drink too much booze the night before.  Don’t just hydrate your body before you run out the door.  Start the day before at least.

DO’S:

After running, eat protein to help rebuild and repair your muscles.  Eggs are often part of the equation.  Before a long-distance run ‘carb-up’.  In runner’s lingo ‘carb loading’ is a nutrition strategy to boost your performance.  That’s a green light to eat lots of complex carbohydrates to fill your glycogen stores so that your muscles have plenty of fuel to help you run without hitting the wall.  My preference is brown rice or chickpea pasta, oatmeal with coconut kefir, sliced fruit and grain free granola, gluten free toast with mashed avocado and sauerkraut, or toast with almond butter and sliced bananas.   Smoothies are also a great staple too. Don’t forget to replenish those electrolytes.

Red Lentil Soup

One of the recipes I love to make to fuel my running, especially as the weather starts to cool down is Red Lentil Soup.  Lentils are high in fibre. They are an amazing complex carbohydrate and they are high in protein.  Plus this recipe is deeelish!   Check it out here. 

That’s about all I have to say about running for a long time!  Thanks to you all for riding this journey with me (here’s part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6) and I am so grateful to everyone who donated to the charity I was running for called Jacob’s Ladder